Gu Chengyu took a look at this person. He looked thirty-seven, with a Chinese character face, thick eyebrows and big eyes. He looked quite honest in appearance. But his smiling eyes made people think that this person's temperament was probably inconsistent with his appearance.
"So it's Li Zhixian, Li Zhixian doesn't need to be polite!" Gu Chengyu leaned on his back with one hand, with a gentle smile on his face, but it gave Li Zhixian an invisible sense of oppression.
Li Yong looked solemn, this man should not be underestimated! He had been an official for six years. He was originally a county magistrate in a remote rural area and lived a very poor life.
Now he has been transferred to Qinghe County, Jingyuan Prefecture. Although his rank has not been upgraded, Jingyuan Prefecture is much better than that poor and remote place.
What's more, there is a small dock in Qinghe County. Although it is not as good as Jiangnan, the people's lives are not very poor.
"I don't know that your Excellency has returned to his hometown, but I didn't welcome him in person. This is my fault!"
Li Yong actually wanted to come yesterday, but his confidants said that since Mr. Gu didn't reveal his identity along the way, he must be eager to return home.
It would not be rude to ask him to wait for another day until someone goes back to see their relatives, pack their luggage, and then go to the house to meet them with gifts. This made him feel very reasonable.
I got up early today to come to see him, but I didn't expect that Gu Chengyu was earlier and had already gone out to visit friends.
Now that he is here, he must see someone before he can leave. Otherwise, he will lose etiquette and make Mr. Gu feel that he does not take the other person seriously. Wouldn't that be an injustice?
"Don't worry about Li Zhixian. I am eager to return to my hometown and I don't know about Li Zhixian!" Gu Chengyu walked to the door of his house and made an invitation gesture to Li Zhixian.
After they entered, the villagers exploded.
"The fifth son of the Gu family is really older than the magistrate! Look at the magistrate nodding and bowing to the fifth son of the Gu family."
A villager looked at the two people entering and sighed.
The man next to him quickly backed away and pushed him, "Stop talking, this is what we can say? He is an official of the imperial court. Do you know what it is to make unreasonable remarks about imperial officials?"
"Yes! I really can't say that I have been working outside for several months. How powerful is such an official? Don't look at those rich men who are very arrogant on weekdays, but when they meet an official, they are even more impressive.
I don’t even dare to breathe!”
"That's right! Otherwise, why would everyone be so eager to study for the imperial examination? Isn't it just to take the imperial examination and become an official?"
"The old Gu family is really about to get up. Look how majestic the fifth son of the Gu family is!"
"You still call me the fifth child of the Gu family? I'm already an official. Why don't you notice that the magistrate is still called Mr. Gu?"
Gu Chengyu invited Li Zhixian to sit down in the study room of the outer courtyard, where Zhu Pang was already waiting. After all, one of his parents was here, and he was still white, so he had to come to pay his respects.
Besides, Gu Chengyu was not at home earlier, couldn't he help entertain her?
"I heard that Mr. Gu has been promoted to the rank of Attendant of the Hanlin Academy in just one month. I congratulate you!" Li Zhixian has already learned about Gu Chengyu's promotion. After all, it was Li Zhixian who brought someone to read out Lu's edict.
"The emperor's kindness is so great, I am just lucky!" Gu Chengyu started talking to Li Zhixian in an official tone.
As soon as Gu Chengyu saw this person, he knew he was a veteran in officialdom.
He had already figured out the basics of Li Zhixian County. It was originally the county magistrate under Qingfeng Prefecture near the border. This year, he was transferred to Qinghe County in Jingyuan Prefecture to be the county magistrate.
Qingfeng Mansion is close to the border, and the days can be imagined. It is Li Yong's ability to be transferred to Jingyuan Mansion.
Li Yong was born in a farmer's family like Gu Chengyu, who also had a teacher named Liang Zhirui, but Li Yong was not so lucky. He was able to gain a foothold in Qingfeng Mansion by struggling all the way by himself.
"That's why, my lord, you are highly valued by the emperor. We in the Dayan Dynasty did not become the number one scholar at such a young age. I have also read your poems, and they are already comparable to those of Zijian in ancient times."
Li Yong had already planned to seize this opportunity. Gu Chengyu is so valued by the emperor, and his future is limitless.
I don’t know what faction Master Gu belongs to, but he needs to find out more about it.
If you can really get on Gu Chengyu's boat, you might be able to get a promotion in three years.
"Li Zhixian is so well-known, how can I compare with Zijian?" As soon as Gu Chengyu saw Li Yong's appearance, he knew that the other party wanted to join his camp.
Gu Chengyu does not reject these. It is normal for them to form alliances and form groups in the officialdom.
The emperor is old and he has to make plans for himself. It is wise to have his own faction.
However, I don't know what kind of temper this Li Yong is. If he is unscrupulous, he really doesn't dare to use it. Besides, his current official position is not high enough, so it would be a bit reluctant to take Li Yong for his own use.
Gu Chengyu was making plans in his mind while dealing with Li Yong's compliments.
In just a few breaths, Gu Chengyu decided to wait and see.
At the very least, you must first understand Li Yong's nature. If you can advance to another level within three years, then these will not be a problem.
"I heard that Li Zhixian originally served in Qianqu County, Fengqing Prefecture. It is located on the border and life is difficult, but Li Zhixian has done a lot of practical things for the people."
Gu Chengyu wasn't telling lies, he had already asked someone to inquire before.
This Li Zhi County has a good reputation in the local area, and corrupt officials should be out of the question.
At this point, Li Yong frowned and sighed, "The lives of the people there are miserable! The land is barren, and the people can't even afford food and clothing."
Gu Chengyu and Zhu Pang also fell silent after hearing this. It is a fact that they cannot grow food. However, can't Fengqing Mansion grow cotton?
"Li Zhixian, isn't the land in Fengqing Prefecture suitable for growing cotton?"
The most important place to grow cotton is around Fengqing Prefecture. The cotton shipped from Fengqing Prefecture increases the cost, so the price of cotton is not cheap.
Besides, Gu Chengyu checked a lot of information and found that the yield of cotton is not high, and pests must be prevented. It is also difficult to obtain seeds, and a lot of labor is invested. This is a problem that needs to be solved.
Since ancient times, only the common people have been deprived.
Although cotton and cotton cloth in other state capitals are expensive, the people in Fengqing Prefecture still don't have enough to eat relying on cotton.
Those merchants purchased cotton at a low price because the cost of transporting it from Fengqing Prefecture to various state capitals was not small.
The yield of cotton is low, and the fields have to pay taxes, which is just like growing food here. Although they pay taxes, the rest can only fill their stomachs.
But Fengqing Prefecture grows a lot of cotton, which can't fill its stomach at all. Growing grain has no output, and I'm afraid it won't even be able to pay the land tax.
When Gu Chengyu saw that Li Yong's worried look didn't seem like he was faking it, he seemed to be an official who could think about the people.
But his own future is more important. As long as he has the ability to leave that place, Gu Chengyu believes that few people can stay there and continue to serve as officials.15